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0. G. OTIS! SHELL. No. 357,500. Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

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WITNESSES c JNVENTOR a I @Moxkm R. Ot'we.

, v BY -61 TTORJVE Y'S UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. OTIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,500, dated February 8, 1887.

' Application liletlJuly 22, 1 286. Serial No.208,748. N0 model.)

T0 or whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES G. OTIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, and in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Projectiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to explosive projectiles in which explosivese-such as dynamiteare used which are apt to explode by shock; and it consists in the combination, with the outer shell of the projectile having a chamber, of a canister containing the explosive fitted into said chamber, an air-cushion behind said canister, and a stop engaging the canister to hold the latter in the position to which it is thrown in the shell by inertia at the time of starting the shell.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the projectile when at rest. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the position of the canister after the projectile has been fired from a gun. Fig. 3 is a modification of the retaining-stop.

Similar letters-indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the outer shell or body of my projectile, in which is formed a cylindrical chamber, B. In this chamber is placed the explosive, which, in the example shown in the drawings, is incased in a canister, C, which is provided with a packin'g, e, and fits closely into the chamber B, but

is so much shorter than the same that when the canister is up against the forward end thereof sufficient air-space will remain between the rear end of the canister and the plug D, which closes up the chamber B, to form an air-cushion behind the canister of sufiicient elasticity to overcome the shock imparted to the projectile and the explosive contained in it, caused by being fired from an ordinary gun or cannon, and prevent the premature explosion of the explosive in the projectile from said shock.

As the charge in the cannon from which this projectile is being fired explodes, the sudden shock will drive the latter suddenly forward, while the inherent inertia of the canister, to which no force has been directly applied, will cause the air behind the canister to be compressed by this sudden forward motion of the outer shell until this inertia shall have been overcome, when the air behind the can-' ister will again expand and force the canister forward to its normal position against the forward end of the chamber B. This reaction of the air-cushion would force the canister against the forward end of the chamber with sufficient mal position against the forward end of the chamber B, and in Fig. 2 the canister is shown in the position assumed after the projectile has been fired from a gun, being held in this position by the pawl a and the ratchet-teeth b.

In Fig. 3 a modification of the retaining-stop is shown, which consists of a ball, c, loosely placed in an inclined groove, d, the backward motion of the canister, caused by the shock, having a tendency to roll said ball into the deeper portion of the groove d, while the mo tion of the canister in the opposite direction, caused by the reaction of the air-cushion, will cause the ball to roll into the shallower portion of this groove, thereby jamming it against the canister and holding it in position.

I do not desire to confine myself to the forms of retaining devices here shown; but any other suitable device may be used.

When the length of the projectile is not an objection, a column of atmospheric air of sufficient length, which, when compressed by the shock of firing, will prevent the canister from striking the rear end of the chamber, may be used; but when it is necessary to confinethe projectile to a length that will not permit sulficient atmospheric air to be placed between the canister and the rear end of the chamber, I force compressed air into the space behindthe canister, and thereby form an air-cushion of suflicient stiifness to prevent the latter from is being fired assists the air-cushion behind position to which it is thrown in theshell by inthe canister in preventing thelatter from strikertia at the time of starting the shell, substaning the rear end of the chamber 13. tially as described. What'I claim as new, and desire to secure by In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my 5 Letters Patent, ishand and seal in the presence of two subscrib- I5 The combination, with the outer shell of a ing witnesses. projectile having a chamber, B, of the canister O, fitted into said chamber, an air-cushion beh Witnesses: hind the canister, and the retaining-stopen- O'r'ro HUFELAND, 1o gaging the canister for holding the la-tterin the WILLIA MILLER.

CHARLES G. OTIS. '[L. s.] 

